When we're young, we feel impervious to injury. Unfortunately, that's not always the case.
While playing sports builds many wonderful life skills (teamwork, listening, cooperation), lingering symptoms from accidental head trauma (i.e., concussions) can also be an unintended outcome. Physical damage to the brain can accumulate from repetitive sub-concussive head and body hits. We implore coaches, parents, and teammates to remain vigilant for student athletes exhibiting and experiencing concussion symptoms. Often, symptoms in children can express themselves differently than in adults. Symptoms can progress over the next hours, days, or weeks after a head hit.
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Area
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Symptoms
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Neurological
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difficulty concentrating, difficulty focusing, avoiding conversation, feeling foggy, difficulty seeing
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Psychological
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atypical anger outbursts, social isolation, stopping participation in activities once enjoyed
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Daily Functioning
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grades rapidly declining, drowsiness, insomnia
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Once a student athlete has experienced a head hit, time is of the essence. Following the guidance of research by Dr. Daphne Denham, HOW addresses rapidly developing inflammation that follows a concussion. Though outwardly invisible, inflammation increases rapidly below the surface of the skull. While this is a natural part of the body’s healing process, it can cause further damage in the early stages of the recovery (often referred to as “reperfusion injury”). Hyperbaric oxygen therapy acts like an ice pack for the brain and can reduce this effect, helping the brain to heal more safely and efficiently after the trauma.
* HOW Foundation staff works directly with their network of established hyperbaric oxygen therapy providers to find a qualified center nearest you. If you are a hyperbaric oxygen therapy provider, please click here to see if your center qualifies to be a HOW Foundation partner.
